IMDb > The Dam Busters (1955)
The Dam Busters
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The Dam Busters (1955) More at IMDbPro »

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The Dam Busters (1955) -- True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective.

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Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   2,671 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 1% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Contact:
View company contact information for The Dam Busters on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 July 1955 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The dramatic true-life story of the men who broke the Nazis' back! more
Plot:
True story of how the British attacked German dams in WW2 by using an ingenious technique to drop bombs where they would be most effective. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(6 articles)
Review: 'Logan's Run' on Blu-ray
 (From Comicmix. 18 November 2009, 2:34 PM, PST)

Stephen Fry Says He's Writing Jackson's 'Dambusters'
 (From Get The Big Picture. 20 October 2009, 11:37 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Some Dam fine flying more (74 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Richard Todd ... Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O., D.F.C.
Michael Redgrave ... Doctor B. N. Wallis, C.B.E., F.R.S.
Ursula Jeans ... Mrs. Wallis
Charles Carson ... Doctor
Stanley Van Beers ... Sir David Pye, C.B., F.R.S.
Colin Tapley ... Doctor W.H. Glanville, C.B., C.B.E.
Frederick Leister ... Committee Member
Eric Messiter ... Committee Member
Laidman Browne ... Committee Member
Raymond Huntley ... Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning ... Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
Patrick Barr ... Captain Joseph 'Mutt' Summers, C.B.E.
Edwin Styles ... Observer at trials
Hugh Moxey ... Observer at trials
Anthony Shaw ... R.A.F. Officer at trials
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Dambusters (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
124 min | USA:105 min
Country:
Language:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono | Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
A cut of the film was spiced up for the American market. Additional scenes of a plane crashing were later removed after it was spotted that Warner Brothers had used WW2 footage of a Flying Fortress (the RAF used Lancasters). more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: The Castle above the Eder-Dam is shown on the southern-side of the lake. In reality, this castle is on the northern side. more
Quotes:
Gibson: [as Gibson heads in to attack] Hello "M for Mother" stand by to take over if anything happens.
Flight Lt. J.V. Hopgood, DFC: OK, Leader. Good luck!
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in The 100 Greatest War Films (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
The Dam Busters more

FAQ

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44 out of 48 people found the following comment useful.
Some Dam fine flying, 18 September 2004
Author: Lucinda Dutton (lucindadutton@yahoo.co.uk) from Cheshire, England

Just like to respond to Howard Morley's comments. The dam's raids were urgently needed, and it took only a few months to form 617, train them and attack the dams. Quite a feat I'm sure you'll agree. The film nicely conveys the struggles and the friendships of the crews, put together from the best of the Commonwealth fliers. Even if the screenplay does take some rather large liberties with the story.

As to Guy, he was killed in 1944 on his way back from acting as Master Bomber on a raid over Germany. His Mosquito crashed in Holland, killing him and his navigator. To this day there are no explanations for the crash. Guy should not have been flying at all, but he was so desperate to get back in the air that Bomber Harris gave in and let him. A tragedy. Of the crew of G-George (Guy's ship on the raid) none of them survived the war. The crew crashed whilst trying to bomb the Dortmund-Ems canal later in 1943.

The film is a fitting tribute to the raid, and the massive losses of 617. Of the 19 ships to go out, 11 came back. Of the 77 crew lost on the raid, only 1 survived. This is why the dams were not bombed again. And the problem with the Sorpe was that it was an earth damn, the bombs were not very effective as with the Eder and Moehne.

How do I know all this? My Great-grandmother was a Gibson.

Watch the film and marvel.

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